On the Yankees beat

I had high hopes for Scott Strickland, too bad he couldn't help himself by staying healthy.

Am I correct in saying that Sean Henn is out of options? I hope he doesn't make the team just because of that, I want to see the best man win.

Not the news Red Sox fans wanted to hear today: Josh Beckett has back spasms and wasn't able to pitch today. He was injured on a warm up pitch.

Glad to see Mike Mussina pitched well today. I turned the game on for a minute and actually saw him throw a "fast" ball at 86 MPH.
Then I wondered if someone else had put on his uniform and replaced him because the pitcher I saw was......smiling? That can't be Moose, can it?
Maybe he is just going to enjoy his last season.

The number one pick from last year's draft, lefty David Price looks pretty good for the Rays. Granted, he hit his first batter, but he's also throwing 97mph and challenging righties on the inside. Caught Shelley looking on a 69 mph pitch outside after 2 tight 97mph fastballs. Then he went ahead and embarassed Jason Lane on three pitches (hitting 98mph). Then, without surprise, he struck out Betemit on 4 pitches...at what point in the season will the Rays bring him up to the MLB? He did pitch 133 innings last year in college. The Rays may end up with one of the best, deepest and youngest rotations in baseball within a year or two.

Knowing that the Rays paid $8 million for this kid out of Vandy, you gotta think they might pony up the money and keep Kazmir too?

HYD,
From what I've read about the Rays is they are considering trading Kazmir while his value is high because they don't want to pay him because they have more than just Price coming up.

You have to figure the Rays will bring Price up sometime this year, probably September and give him spot starts or treat him like the Yanks treated Joba last season.

The future is bright for the Rays, they have a lot of good young players.

Shelley Duncan makes Jason Giambi look like Mattingly at first. He's got hands of stone.

Nice play by Cervelli blocking the plate for an out while getting demolished by a runner but the rest of the defense looks like little leaguers out there.

Cervelli just stood up to a SHOT at the plate and is out of the game now. He held onto the ball though! Tough game for the kid. Hit by a pitch and then run over at the plate. It ends up costing us a run too as the new catcher can't catch the ball.

Jim A: Thanks for the insight on Kazmir and the Rays. I really think they'd have to get a gem of a package back to trade him. I'm thinking of taking a three day trip down to Tampa for a series against the Yankees. Maybe September 2 - 4 if I can get the time off. We should get a good look at Price in September. We have a 3 game home series against the Rays in September (12 - 14).

I know the Yanks have announced that Wang would pitch opening day on March 31st. The Yanks have off on April 1 with games on April 2 and 3 to finish the Toronto series. I have tickets to the game on the 3rd. Who do you think will be starting? I think it's safe to assume Pettite is pitching on April 2, but will April 3 be Moose, Hughes, or Kennedy? Clearly, I'm hoping for Hughes.

The Yankees will begin to turn things up a notch starting next week. Joe Girardi has started to form opinions for who he wants to leave spring training with.

Read on PeteAbe's blog that the Yankees are fearful that he might have a broken wrist. Joe Madden spoke with the Tampa media and had no problem with what the kid did. But he hid in his office like a child as to avoid the NY media. Joe remember that when a fb courtesy of Farnsworth breaks one of your players wrists.!

Scott Strickland was pretty good with the Expos, I believe. But that was more than a few years ago.

Wasn't he with the Mets?

Maybe he hurt his arm?

He will be a sleeper. They will keep him on the farm team and wait until he recovers fully ... maybe he will be back up with the team in June or so.

If he can recover, they will be able to move another arm in a deal to cover a need.

Needs as I see it ...

Too old, brittle, ingury prone ...

Damon
Godzilla
Giambi
Mussina

Too ineffective ...

Igawa
Farnsworth

Not enough LHP's to start or relieve.

That's 25 - 30 percent of the roster or so. About a 1/3rd of the payroll is wasted.

Not one spot can be wasted if you want to win the World Series.

Of course it's been 7 years ... and we won't win this year ... but eventually a new GM will get it right. Cashman is an example of how not to run a team. The Paris Hilton of GMs. No GM in the history of baseball did less with more.

Jim A.,

What's wrong with you?

We have it from our expert Viper.

"Kazmir will NEVER be traded."

Laced with all kind of adjectives.

Looks like Ant is still a slobbering fool who lives on Fantasy Island.

I never once said Kazmir will NEVER get traded. That's just idiotic on your part because he could get traded 10 years from now and that statement would be incorrect.

However, another bumbling error and blatant misrepresentation of my position is not at all surprising coming from you since you never have anything of value to add to the debate.

What I did say about Kazmir was that there was no chance in hell he was going to be traded during the offseason, especially to a AL East rival like the Yankees. I don't see how that could possibly be misinterpreted but Ant is always capable of the impossible.

In retrospect, I was absolutely right and you continue to spew more nonsense which makes everyone shake their head and wish you’d take your medication.

Henn is out of options - I think though that Billy Traber has the edge over him and Heath Phillips at this point for the lefty specialist role.

Strickland has been injured off and on for the last few seasons, in fact I don't think he has pitched in the majors in a couple of years.

I don't know if any of you caught the collision at the plate, but Frank Cervilli was pretty impressive hanging onto the ball. Lots of scouts believe that defensively and in the way he handles pitchers, he is major league ready. His bat though probably won't translate much for the majors. At best, according to scouts, his bat is so light that he would be a back-up catcher. Though between his defense and Jesus Montero's bat, the Yankees could have a nice combination coming up behind Posada and Molina (if Montero stays behind the dish).

As for the guys who got cut - no big shocks. I was hoping for a better beformance from Steve White.

Incidentally, Jim, the guy I would be worried about getting a spot that is not based on merit is Igawa. If Traber, Phillips, or Henn aren't strikingly better than Igawa will the Yankees decide to take him north based on his contract?

Chip,
That's a tough question. Igawa probably has more options than Traber, Phillips etc. right?
I can see the Yankees taking Igawa north with them though, which doesn't please me very much.

Cervelli has a broken wrist which is a shame. I really don't have too much of a problem with the play though and I know that won't be a popular opinion, but the kid who bowled him over is also trying to make a team. If I were the Rays I wouldn't bat him against the Yanks any time soon though.

I did notice that Ohlendorf's first pitch to the next batter came close to his knees, but not close enough to be considered a message, although I think it was supposed to.

HYD: Agreed on Kazmir. The Rays would expect and should receive nothing less than a great package of prospects if they trade Kazmir.
I am actually worried about that Rays team, they are pretty darn good. Maybe not this year, but next year they could be a contender.

right now based on performance H.Phillips has the inside track as lefty reliever but it's still to early to tell....my guess Igawa starts the season at Scranton...Traber will be released...Henn is frustrating to watch a good fastball 92-94 w/ slider but can't hit his spots.

Devil Rays have a decent outfield if Baldelli in RF can stay healthy,Pena will never approach the season he had last yr. Middle infield ? Rookie 3rd baseman? Navarro behind the plate? Bullpen?Outside of Kasmir no starter with any real success .Will Shields repeat his 07 1st half performance ? If the Rays get 175 innings out of Garza they'll be lucky.The player the Rays will miss is Delmon Young who has a chance to be a tremendous offensive force....if their pitching talent continues to improve and they can improve up the middle and put together a decent bullpen then maybe in 2-3 yrs they might contend...